Maritime Safety Agency
published statistics for leisure-related maritime
accidents occurring from July to August
1997. Total of 232 maritime accidents
resulted in 12 deaths and missing persons,
worst record since Agency started collecting
statistics 5 years ago

3 September

•

40 people missing and
feared dead after bus carrying 60 plunged
into flooded Kail River in western India

•

TU134 aircraft of Vietnam
Air crashed and burned at Pochentong
International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia,
killing 65 and leaving seriously-injured
infant as sole survivor

Kyoto Municipal Subway
commenced commercial operation of 12.7-
km East-West Line. Kyoshin Line (operated
by Keihan Electric Railway Company)
which ran parallel to new line discontinued
service between Sanjo and Goryo

Terrorist group opened
fire on foreign tourists at Luxor, southern
Egypt killing 62

21 November

•

Japanese Ministry of
Transport published FY1997 report on
transportation and economy (White Paper
on Transport) noting that airline and trucking
deregulation created new demand and
lower prices, while admitting negative
social effects, such as discontinuation of
unprofitable services

25 November

•

Japanese Association of
Tourist Agencies held JATA '97 international
conference in Tokyo attended by about
1500 people from 81 countries

Japan's MLX01 experimental
linear motor car recorded manned
world speed record of 503 km/h in running
test jointly conducted by JR Central and JR
Railway Technology Research Institute at
18.4-km experimental track in Yamanashi
Prefecture. Research team plans final goal
of 550 km/h to pave way for commercial
operation at 500 km/h

29 November

•

Nozomi shinkansen connecting
Tokyo and Hakata, Kyushu, increased
maximum speed to 300 km/h and
reduced journey time by 15 minutes to 4
hours and 49 minutes, thanks to new Series
500 car developed by JR West

•

JR Oito Line linking Otari
and Kotaki (21.7 km) in Nagano and Niigata
prefectures, Japan, restored to full service
over entire route after 26 months of repairs
due to flood damage

Yasutoshi Tsuchisaka
Appointed Vice President of Teito Rapid
Transit Authority on 9 September succeeding
former Vice President, Yutaka Hatano
(former Director General of Maritime Safety
Agency) who died on 17 August. Joined
Ministry of Transport in 1963 after graduating
from Faculty of Law at University of
Tokyo. Served as Director General of
Cargo Transport and Distribution Bureau,
Director General of Road Transport Bureau,
Director General of Transport Policy
Bureau, and Director General of Maritime
Safety Agency, before retiring in June 1997